I finally got to see a few classic Japanese things this month. First, I saw the cherry blossoms bloom and went to sakura festivals. I went to Tsuruma Park and it was so crowded. Lots of people were enjoying the nice weather with a picnic. There was a concert going on and it was funny to see the old men dancing along to the young pop band’s music. Of course, there was also a lot of people taking pictures of the cherry blossoms and posing a million different ways. I felt sorry for a few boyfriends who were dragged along and had to take thousands of photos until their girlfriend approved of the results.

 Secondly, my roommates and I took a trip to Shizuoka prefecture. To start our journey, we went to Fujinomiya to see Mt. Fuji.   At first, I was worried because it seemed that Mt. Fuji was shy. (There were lots of clouds blocking it from view.) But as the day went on the clouds cleared up and I was able to see the full majesty of Mt. Fuji. It seemed impossible to get a bad picture of it; Mt. Fuji is really photogenic. It's hard to pick my favorite spot in Fujinomiya. I really enjoyed Lake Tanuki, Mt. Fuji’s reflection in the lake was an amazing sight. But Shiraito Falls was a breathtaking discovery. The falls truly did look like strings from the cliffside.

I ate some interesting food on my trip too. I tried chicken heart (hatsu) which was better than it sounded, but I still am not a fan of eating hearts… At Shiraito Falls I had some wasabi ice cream which I enjoyed a lot.

 

My last classic Japanese ‘first’ was riding the shinkansen. I was surprised how smooth the ride was. The only time it was bumpy was when a faster shinkansen passed by us. As an alternative to flights I was amazed by how easy it is to use. You just buy a ticket and get on. No long lines in security or baggage check. Overall, I will use it again in the future.